


The Palace

by Libstar



Category: Holby City
Genre: F/F, berena - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-06
Updated: 2017-10-06
Packaged: 2019-01-09 21:11:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12284472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Libstar/pseuds/Libstar
Summary: The door person/drunk customer au that no one asked for but I wrote anyway.





	The Palace

**Author's Note:**

> I follow @au_idea_bot on Twitter and saw the prompt doorman/drunk customer au and it wouldn't leave me alone. It's taken me longer than it should have done to write and it hasn't turned out quite the way I imagined it would but I'm pretty pleased with it.

Serena sighs as she watches the large group entering the hotel next door, they are all in civilian dress but the large army issues rucksack that they all carry gives them away as a unit either just returning from or getting ready to leave for a tour and in her experience that can only mean one thing, alcohol, an lots of it. Serena isn't worried, she's been working the door at The Regent long enough to know how to handle the more rowdy groups that spill out of the hotel next door and through their doors and now that she's head of security she knows and trusts that her hand picked team can handle it too. A low whistle from beside her draws her attention and she turns to regard Fletch with a raised eyebrow, chuckles at his winning grin,

"She's a bit of alright," he says, gestures to the lone female taking up the back of the group, messy blonde hair falling in waves around her shoulders, Serena idly wonders how she manages to get it up into the signature army bun, agrees with Fletch but doesn't let it show, it took her long enough to gain his respect as a woman, doesn't need to add her sapphic tendencies to the mix, "And in the army too, I bet she's right bossy in the..."

"Fletcher" she interrupts, fixes him with a mid intensity glare, "Go and make sure the fire bars have come off please," shes unsurprised when he doesn't argue, imagines he'll probably stop off to gossip with Raf on his way to do the job but knows he will, hates that she's having to double check the work someone is supposed to do but learnt the last time that its best to make sure Jasmine as done what she has asked of her, she's not sure how long she'll last, hasn't worked out whether a fight or Serena's wrath will spook her into leaving.

  
Because its still early and quiet she moves a little way from the door and pulls her cigarettes from her pocket, lights one up and blows the smoke in a steady stream towards the sky, watches with moderate interest as the blonde from earlier appears, followed closely by a short haired brunette who grabs at her arm and spins her round, she's not close enough to hear the conversation passing between them but just from their body language she can tell that it's intense, can see the from the set of the blondes jaw, the fist clenched at her side that she is trying to reign in her anger. Oh goody, she thinks, not a drink shared and already fighting. She's glad Fletch is still inside when the brunette lunges and brings their lips together, knows another whistle would have come. She flinches a little when the blonde pushes the other woman away by the shoulders and shakes her head, can see that the brunette looks devastated and only just averts her eyes in time as the blonde spins on her heels and stalks in her direction. She flicks the cigarette and moves back to the door, rightly assumes that the blonde is headed her way, allows herself the time to rake her eyes up and down her body, takes in the skinny jeans and black shirt, the pointed boots and then, the angular face and piercing eyes, she's beautiful, Serena realises and curses her luck at never being attracted by a suitable woman, only one she's likely to never see again.

"Evening," she says with a nod as the blonde gets closer, keeps her face neutral, hides the smirk at the startled look on the woman's face, clearly so tied up in her own thoughts that she had assumed that she was alone,

"Hi," she coughs out, Serena can't help think that she's even more attractive this close and that she's older than she thought, probably closer to Serena's age than the brunette before, "You are open, aren't you?"

"We are," she smiles because the blonde looks tense and she wants to reassure her the best she can, "You're our first customer of the evening but that means you get the personal service and the pick of the place. Have a good night."

"Thanks," the blonde says, offers her first genuine smile, it's awkward and endearing and Serena is glad that she got to see it, "You too."

* * *

 

It picks up slowly as the night goes on, slow trickles of customers moving in and out of the venue, no more than two or three people outside smoking at any given time, it's a weekday so it's not unusual for things to be slow but its slower than it has been for a while and she finds herself getting bored, brings Raf out to stand on the front door with Fletch so that she can wander around inside, more for something to do than any real need to check on the others. Jasmine is at her usual position at the top of the stairs, looks a little nervous when she see's Serena approach so she smiles, tries to convey without words that there's nothing wrong, that she's as bored as the rest of them look. She sees a lot of herself in the girl, wants so much to be able to keep her, knows that once she gets over her fear and her desire to please that she will be bloody good at her job. She knows that from the outside what they do seems easy but in reality it's far from that, in her time bouncing doors Serena has learnt to be an interpreter, a counsellor, a heavy hand, a negotiator, an emergency responder, gained as many skills if not more as she would have done if she had followed her mothers wishes into medicine, has made it to managing a team far faster than she could have done working in a hospital. Yes maybe the pay would be better if she'd become a doctor but her wage is respectable, makes for a comfortable life with the few luxurious she needs and there's far less stress, she's not sure what else she can ask for, she ignores the little voice in her head that suggests someone waiting for her at home wouldn't go amiss, has learnt from bitter experience that her hours and the nature of the work she does is hard to deal with if you are used to working the 9-5 in relative safety, there have been a few people in and out of her life since her marriage dissolved, but none of them, male or female, have been able to handle the job she does, a few have even expected her to change it and she wonders if she isn't just better off alone. She finds Ric at the base of the stage, it's still too early for the girls to be dancing so there's no real need for him to be there but she knows he likes the spot, knows he likes how much he can see from there and because it isn't busy she doesn't move him, changes her direction when he beckons her over.

"Everything alright?" she asks, stands shoulder to shoulder with him so she still has a good view of the space, spots the blonde from earlier lent against the end of the bar staring into the bottom of her glass, she looks like a bomb could go off behind her and she wouldn't notice, Serena knows the girls will do their very best to draw her attention when they start arriving in the next thirty minutes, knows that most of them will want her as a client, she can't say she blames them, thinks they would be even more interested if they knew like Serena does that she is a soldier.

"Slow night," he shrugs, turns to regard Serena's profile, "Might have to watch our friend over there," he gestures to the blonde at the bar and Serena turns to him with a raised eyebrow, "Knocked back four double whiskeys since she got in, the size of her she might hit the deck shortly."

"Don't underestimate the woman Ric," Serena smirks, leaves him looking after her with a questioning gaze and positions herself at the end of the bar where Raf would normally stand. The Blonde looks up from her drink when she detects movement, gives her a half smile and then returns to staring a hole into the bottom of her glass. Serena can't help but study her profile, the light in the bar isn't great but it's enough to highlight her eyes, dark and smouldering , the almost glare painted on her lips as she watches the bottom of her glass, her neck is long and smooth, marred only by the still pink scar just under the spot where he pulse is jumping almost in sync with the bass.

"You're staring," the voice makes her jump and her eyes snap up to meet the other woman's, take in the smirk on her face and she tamps down on the blush she can feel trying to crawl up her neck, prays that she looks confident

"Sorry," she shrugs and the blonde's smirk grows, she can tell from this distance that while the other woman is far from sober she's no where near as drunk as Serena herself would be if she'd drunk the same amount of whiskey and she vaguely wonders how many soldiers this mysterious woman has drunk under the table, "Serena Campbell," she holds out her hand, can't ignore the fizz of electricity when her skin makes contact with the blondes warm palm.

"Bernie Wolfe," she says with a smile, her grip is firm and their hands stay clasped far longer than is necessary but Serena can't find it in herself to care

"I saw you and your group heading into the hotel earlier, home from tour or just heading out?" she asks, their hands fall between them and she misses the contact immediately.

"Coming back, last tour for me at least, just over a year in Helmand," the blonde shrugs like its nothing but Serena can't help but wonder the scars that has left behind on all of them, she watches the news, she knows what the situation is like over there, imagines it's much worse than the BBC portray.

"Yet you're here on your own? No one to meet you off the plane, celebrate the freedom?" Bernie frowns and Serena wonders if she has said the wrong thing but then the blonde smiles, the first real smile she's shown and it fills Serena up with warmth,

"I've barely been home in almost ten years, not really the time to make connections. But there'll be time for that now." the words are weighty and Serena smiles, squeezes the blondes shoulder,

"There will be," she agrees, turns when she hears her name called over a drop in the music, wonders at the fact that two of the girls are on stage and she didn't notice then catches sight of Crystal swaying her way towards her,

"What did we do to deserve the pleasure of having you inside tonight?" the redhead asks, sidles up beside her and presses a lingering kiss to her cheek, she hopes she didn't imagine the flash of jealousy in Bernie's eyes.

"Don't get too excited darling, I'm just walking through," she says, knows she doesn't imagine the way Bernie's face falls the same as Crystal's, "Raf will be here, like always,"

"Oh but he doesn't appreciate anything," the dancer pouts, "Except my lipstick and that's the least of my concerns."

"There are plenty paying customers to appreciate more than your lipstick, now go on, Marco has that look on his face that tells me you aren't where you're supposed to be,"

"That's just his face and you know it, look, a few of us are going for a few drinks when we finish, you should tag along."

"I'll see how the night goes," she says, knows that no matter what happens she wont be going out with the girls after shift, has decided that if she isn't going home with Bernie (or at least across the street to the hotel) she's going home alone.

"I know that means no Campbell," Crystal pouts and Serena swats at her bare side, shakes her head at her retreating back.

"Not many people would turn down an offer like that," Bernie observes, though her eyes are fixed firmly on Serena, not on any of the girls or on Crystal's swaying backside, "In fact, some of my boys in the hotel would think they had died and gone to heaven."

"I don't mix business with pleasure," Serena shrugs, "Which Crystal knows all to well,"

"Not getting the message?" Bernie chuckles and Serena gives her a wry smile

"Not even a little bit, she's young enough to be my daughter and that's only the first in a long list off problems. I should get back outside, make sure Raf and Fletch are working and not flirting."

"I'll erm, I'll come out for a cigarette," Bernie mutters and for the first time she looks shy and Serena smiles, nods, leads the way to the front door and hopes she is on to something here.

* * *

 

Bernie drifts out for a cigarette every now and then and they talk and they flirt and Bernie slowly gets more than tipsy. Serena catches sight of Crystal glaring once or twice from where she is lent against the wall outside the dressing room door smoking her own cigarette and Serena hopes that maybe she might just start to get the message.

Bernie is still there when they are locking up, slumped slightly against the end of the bar and Serena wouldn't be surprised if she hadn't drunk the best part of a bottle of whiskey to herself. She waves off Raf and Ric who look like they are about to manhandle the blonde out and walks over to her herself, lays a hand on her shoulder.

"Time to go soldier," she chuckles and Bernie looks up at her bleary eyed, "We're closing."

"Come for a drink with me?" Bernie's voice is slurred now and Serena smirks,

"I don't think you should be drinking anymore and I already told you, I don't mix business with pleasure."

"The hotel serves coffee all night."

"Are you propositioning me Bernie Wolfe?"

"If you like," Bernie shrugs and Serena finds herself smiling at her fondly,

"Ok, give me five minutes, don't move and don't give one of the boys a reason to kick you out."

* * *

 

**1 year later**

"Hello stranger," Serena's head whips round from where she was watching a troublesome group of men weave along the street and grins, checks herself before she makes a fool of herself and runs at the blonde or worse, out and out throws herself at her. She manages to close the distance between them at a regular pace, is pleased that the other woman has stopped just outside of the bars lights so she can pull her into an embrace when she reaches her, bury her face in her hair and breathe her in. It's been a long week, Bernie away at a conference, the first time they've really been apart for more than a day or two in about eleven months and Serena hadn't been expecting Bernie back until the next morning.

"You're home early," she says when she steps away, snags the other woman's fingers in her own and squeezes,

"I thought I'd surprise you," Bernie shrugs, gives her that shy smile she loves, that's made her melt since the first time she saw it

"Which is lovely, but I'm at work,"

"Ric just got here," Bernie smirks, gesturing over Serena's to where the man in question has just stepped up to the front door, already ready to work, "which leaves you free to come with me, I'm taking you to dinner."

Once the hand over is done and Serena has changed back into her street clothes they walk close together, Bernie's arms tucked around her shoulder, towards what has become their favourite Italian restaurant. Serena isn't surprised when they are seated at their usual table, tucked away in the back, nor that there is a bottle of Shiraz already waiting for them, the bunch of flowers is new and she looks to Bernie who just shrugs,

"Wanted to treat you," she murmurs and Serena grins, presses up onto her toes to kiss her gently before they settle in their seats. Bernie had ordered ahead for them and so they spend the time before the food comes with their hands interlaced in the middle of the table and talk about their respective weeks, it's not that they haven't spoken in the last five days but its not the same when you're speaking over a phone line, when you can't see the other persons face. Serena tries to ignore the fact that Bernie is fidgeting, even though it's something the blonde never does and just enjoys being with her, she has her own surprise for Bernie, has taken the next three nights off work and has booked them into a country hotel for two of them to celebrate the anniversary of them meeting, of them falling in love.

"Come on, spit it out," she chastises while they wait for desert and Bernie's fiddling is driving her to distraction, "Don't look at me like that, what ever is in your head spit it out, use your words soldier." Bernie sighs and rubs at her face and Serena can tell that she feels rushed, that whatever she is about to say she hadn't planned to say just yet but Serena just wants to get it out there, to dispel the strange tension that has been building around them since they sat down and just enjoy the rest of their evening.

"I...well." Bernie stuffs her hands into her pockets and fiddles with something there and Serena thinks she finally understands what is going on, feels like her heart might burst out of her chest, hopes to god she is right.

"Just ask me Berenice," she says gently and there is that shy smile again, gently she reaches over and cups the blondes cheek, "Go on, ask me."

"I know people will say it's fast," Bernie starts, takes the hand from her cheek and holds it in her own, "And they'll scoff when I say I think I've loved you since that first moment a year ago today, but to me it's true and when I woke up in that hotel room with a stinking hangover to find you there with me I was so glad you weren't a dream. I was dreading coming out of the army, I'd spent so long not settling that I had no idea where I belonged but you so effortlessly gave me a place I can call home. I can never repay you for that but I can promise to stand by your side for the rest of my life, so, if you'll have me, Serena Wendy Campbell, I'd be honoured if you would agree to be my wife."

 


End file.
